News Articles About Shelby's Sweets
When Shelby's Sweets is mentioned in the news, we'll post the articles so you can read about it.

Hawaii Reporter
Shelby's Sweets: Turning Culinary Passion Into a Successful Small Business
By Juliette Dekeyser The terrorist attack on American on 9/11 was a wake up call for flight attendant Phyllis Moore-Shelby. She decided it was time to follow her life-long passion: Cooking. She started a new business, Shelby's Sweets... 

Toughing it out
Honolulu Star Bulletin -Nina Wu
How some Honolulu merchants are riding out the economic slump
READ THE FULL STORY

Phyllis Moore-Shelby is a former flight attendant and now owns Shelby's Sweets which opened in October. "It's something I always loved to do. I was always the designated dessert provider. But I never set out to be a bake shop owner." Photo by Dennis Oda.

These are tough times to be running a business, particularly a small business. But some Honolulu entrepreneurs remain undaunted by the economic recession as well as the gloomy forecast for next year.

Driven by a passion for what they do, they remain determined instead to focus on the quality of their services and products, hoping to ride out this dip in the economy.

Some are even starting new businesses, or keeping them alive because it's a dream fulfilled. Others are driven by a long-term vision that they say will outlast the ups and downs of the economy.

Andrew Poepoe, the soon-to-be-retiring Hawaii district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration, advises would-be entrepreneurs to do their homework even more thoroughly during these tough times. But they should not be dissuaded from starting a new business at this time.

The Star-Bulletin profiles three small businesses on Oahu that have gritted their teeth and decided they will persist through the downturn in the economy.

Phyllis Moore-Shelby *Shelby's Sweets
Phyllis Moore-Shelby, owner of Shelby's Sweets bake shop, left her longtime career as a flight attendant because of 9/11. Though she loved her first career, she realizes now it was a blessing.

If was only after she stopped flying that she realized her hobby for baking could become a business. She went on to culinary school and found a new career without knowing how the airline industry would later be battered by high fuel prices.

Since its founding in 2003, Shelby's Sweets has grown from being just a Web-based business to an established bake shop, which just opened in October at 1130 N. Nimitz Highway, Suite A-150.

"It's something I always loved to do," she said. "I was always the designated dessert provider. But I never set out to be a bake shop owner."

In the beginning, Shelby's Sweets were ordered mostly online. She sold her baked goods at various fairs, Chinatown's First Friday and by mail order from www.shelbyssweetshawaii.com.

Her specialties include family recipes for sweet potato, chocolate pumpkin and pecan pies (Moore-Shelby is originally from Houston), as well as lemon-blueberry scones, red-velvet cupcakes, lemon lilikoi cake, several kinds of cookies, and quick breads.

She describes her sweets as "made with southern charm and Hawaiian flair."

But customers kept asking where they could find her bake shop, and that's what prompted Moore-Shelby to finally open one on Nimitz.

Since it does not have a built-in kitchen, Moore-Shelby uses the Pacific Gateway Center's "kitchen incubator" in Kalihi and transports the baked goods to her shop.

The idea is to offer fresh-baked goods in small tasting sizes for customers, who can also get a cup of tea and coffee with the sweets.

In January, she plans to start serving high tea - finger sandwiches, along with sweets, coffee and tea for parties of up to 15.

During tough times, Moore-Shelby's fully aware that people may forgo sweets because they are considered a luxury - not a necessity.

"Everyone's suffering," she said. "Everyone's watching their budget and these are gourmet items."

Her goods are baked fresh and made to order, which has on the other hand also resulted in cost savings because she doesn't waste ingredients on some 20 pies that are still sitting on the shelf.

But she will continue to offer high-quality baked goods, and try to reach out to people who will understand that paying for one from her bakery will be worth it.

Moore-Shelby is marketing, but carefully.

She is targeting only major holidays as occasions to run her ads. She is also targeting bridal fairs for her wedding cakes.

Moore-Shelby, 45, was able to launch the business with an extended line of credit, which she obtained just in time before the economy headed south, along with a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

She's aware of the statistics of how few businesses actually make it. But personally, she's also thrilled.

"Economic times are really hard, but I am fulfilling a dream," she said. "As hard as it may get, I'm still getting to do something that I love to do."

And she's not afraid to put in the hours. The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Sundays. Moore-Shelby only has one part-time employee as help.

She's up at 6 a.m. every day, and after closing up the shop, spends several more hours baking in the incubator kitchen. Her philosophy is that: "Food is not just to satisfy the stomach. It satisfies the soul."

The greatest reward, she said, is to see a customer's face light up after tasting one of her creations.

---

Shelby's Sweets
MidWeek.com
By Jo McGarry
Until recently customers could only order the delectable homemade sweets of Shelby's Sweets on the Internet, but now, thanks to much hard work and help from friends, owner Phyllis Moore-Shelby opened a Shelby's Sweets store at Nimitz Center in Honolulu.

"This has really been 10 years in the making," says Moore-Shelby of finally opening her own store. "A year ago I was thinking I would have a place."

A small crowd gathered for the grand opening Oct. 11. Samples of chocolate chocolate chip scones, mini sweet potato and pecan pies were offered, as well as red velvet cake, chocolate mousse tarts and coffee and tea. Inside the cozy Southern tea house-themed store are wicker couches and chairs with comfy cushions, soft carpeting and the scent of freshly baked cookies wafting through the air.

Customers can order Moore-Shelby's cakes, pies, cupcakes, scones, cookies and quick breads for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings or whatever the occasion. In addition to the chocolate chocolate chip scones served at the opening, Moore-Shelby also makes pineapple, coconut, raisin, lemon, blueberry, cranberry and orange flavors. She also creates baskets, including holiday, specialty baskets, corporate appreciation baskets and arrival baskets.

"I've always baked," she says."I get inspiration from what's in season."

Moore-Shelby made her way to Hawaii from her native Texas as a former flight attendant. She always loved baking, so in 2002, when she stepped down from serving in the skies, Moore-Shelby sharpened her culinary skills at Kapiolani Community College. She bakes all her goodies in a commercial kitchen at Pacific Gateway Center in Kalihi, using recipes handed down from her mother.

"I wake up every day and I'm so happy to go work," says Moore-Shelby. "I'm excited."

Check out Shelby's Sweets online at http://www.shelbysweetshawaii.com or visit the new store at 1130 Nimitz Center on Nimitz Highway in Honolulu. Call Shelby's Sweets at 585-6258.

Read the article at http://www.midweek.com/content/columns/foodiefare_article/sipping_martinis_with_james_bond/

---

Baked-goods store opens at Nimitz Center
Pacific Business News (Honolulu)
Shelby's Sweets celebrated its grand opening last week at the Nimitz Center at 1130 N. Nimitz Highway, featuring red velvet cake, light and fluffy scones, wedding cakes and Southern-inspired desserts such as sweet potato and pecan pies.

Owner Phyllis Moore-Shelby, who resigned as a flight attendant on July 1, sells products at the 650-square-foot Nimitz store but bakes in a commercial kitchen in Kalihi.

She registered Shelby's Sweets as a Web-based business in 2003 and sold products online and at special events.

The bakery is offering cooking classes at Waipahu High School from Oct. 20 to Nov. 19 and is accepting orders for Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Read the story at http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2008/10/20/daily7.html

---

Pacific Business News (Honolulu)
Warm colors pour into Shelby's Sweets at 1130 North Nimitz Highway. The motto "Made with Southern charm & Hawaiian flair" is reflected in every aspect of the store....

How sweet it is to expand a business, with a little help from friends

Phyllis Moore-Shelby, owner and chef of Shelby's Sweets, used a Small Business Administration loan for the planned opening later this month of a retail room and office at the Nimitz Center at 1130 North Nimitz Highway.

Since starting their business in 2003, Moore-Shelby and husband, Stephen Shelby, have concentrated on online orders, especially from the Mainland, where Shelby's Sweets promises two-day delivery of baked goods via Federal Express. The company bakes scones, cakes, cookies, pies and quick breads at Pacific Gateway Center’s culinary business incubator in Kalihi.

Now Shelby's Sweets is growing its local presence, giving customers a place to visit, sample and order the goodies in person. Walk-in customers either can pick up the order within 48 hours or have it home-delivered.

"We're still taking online orders and making home and office deliveries, but the office lets clients come in for a tasting and have a cup of coffee," said Moore-Shelby, who's quick to credit the Hawaii Women's Business Center for advice. "It's like a Southern tea house."

Read the article at http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2008/09/08/story7.html?page=2